Locked pile fabric



Dec. 14, 1954, H. F. mm. JR

memo FILE FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1951 Dec. 14, 1954 gmm, JR 2,696,723

LOCKED FILE FABRIC Filed July 5. 1951 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 INVENTOR in fi'an/f/i/z Fri M, Jr.

ATTO RNEYS LOCKED PILE FABRIC Hagin Franklin Frith, In, Glcnside, Pa., assignor to Hagin Frith & Sons, Meadowbrook, Pa., a partnership Application July 5, 1951, Serial No. 235,246

20 Claims. (Cl. 66-192) This invention relates to knitted pile fabrics, and part1cularly to fabrics incorporating pile loops.

A primary objective of the invention is to provide a knitted pile fabric wherein the pile loops are locked into the knitting stitches of conventional warp chains. Another and equally important objective is the provision of a pile loop fabric which will not stretch in a weft-wise direction, but will maintain its general dimensions. Still another objective is to provide a pile loop fabric wherein the pile loops are not only locked in with the warp loops, but are also interspersed with base loops, in the pile chain, which base loops lie substantially parallel to the plane of the fabric in a position to be bound to the back by application of a conventional size.

How these and other objectives which are apurtenant to my invention may be realized is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the paragraphs which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the fabric of the present invention on a greatly enlarged scale, in which the fab ric has been opened out to show more clearly the constructions involved.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, taken almost at right angles to the view in Fig. l, certain loops and stitches being broken away to show the structure more clearly.

Fig. 3 is a view looking down on the fabric at an angle. It is on a smaller scale than Fig. l, is taken at right angles to that view, and in it the fabric has not been opened out.

Referring now to Fig. 1

The reference numbers 10, 11, 12 and 13 designate warp threads forming warp chains 20, 21, 22 and 23. Each of these warp chains constitutes an interknit series of ordinary knitting stitches. each of which stitches comprises the usual bight 14 and top loop 15.

Crossing the warp chains in a weft-wise direction are 1.

weft elements 30, 31, 32 and 33. At every crossing point, the weft element lies above one of the warp chain bights 14 and below one of the top loops 15, so that each knittin stitch embraces a weft e ement, and all knitting stitches of a sin e c urse (weftwise of the fabric) embrace the same weft element.

- Interlaced between warp chains 20 and 21 is a pi e yarn 40. Beginning at the up er left in Fig. 1. this pile yarn crosses to war chain 21, and is looped through the bottom loop or bight 14 of the up er warp stitch of l warp chain 21. Both legs f the base loop 41 so formed pass below weft element 30. The returning leg of the pile varn 40 passes upwardly through the bott m loop 14 of the warp stitch reviously referred to and crosses above eft e ement 30 from warn chain 21 to warp chain 20. thus forming pile loop 42. The pi e y rn then is looped through the bight 14 of warp chain 20 which lies below weft element 31, both legs of the base loop 43 so formed passin as before below the weft element,

along with the bight of the warp stitch. The returning leg of bottom loop 43 passes upwardly through bight 14 below weft element 31. to form ile loop 44, which. as in the previous instance, crosses diagonally from one warp chain to another above a weft e ement, in this stitch fr m warp chain 20 to warp chain 21, above weft element 31.

Another pile yarn 50 shown at the left upper center of Fig. 1, crosses fr m warp chain 21 to warp chain 22, passes through the bi ht 14 in warp chain 22. which lies below weft element 30, to form base loop 51, both legs of which lie below weft element 30. .-The returningleg Patented Dec. 14,. 1954 ice ' of base loop 51, passing upwardly through the same bight erablv reducing the bulk of the fabric.

14 of warp chain 22, crosses above weft element 30 from warp chain 22 to warp chain 21, where it is looped through a succeeding bight 14 of the warp chain 21, lying below weft element 31, and forms base loop 53, both legs of which lie below weft element 31. The returning leg of base loop 53 passes through the same bight, and crosses as pile loop 54 above weft element 31 back to warp chain 22.

Pile yarn 60, entering at the right upper center of Fig. 1, crosses alternately from pile chain 22 to pile chain 23 and back again, in the same way that pile yarn 50 is in terlaced between warp chain 21 and warp chain 22. In the fabric as shown in Fig. 1, the pile chain 60 is precisely similar to that of pile chain 40, and therefore need not be separately described.

It will be seen that every one of the base loops of the pile fabric is locked into a warp stitch by the top loop 15 of that stitch, which also engages a weft element. Thus, warp stitches securely lock pile yarn and weft elements together.

The weft elements of the fabric preferably extend from selvage to selvage, and in so doing effectively eliminate the tendency of knitted fabrics, such as rugs, to stretch irregularly out of shape. This effect is, of course, most noticeable along the selvage edges, but it should be realized also that since each weft element orients an entire course of warp stitches and pile loops, the tendency towards warpwise stretching is also much reduced.

In the fabric as just described, there is a pile chain base loop interknit with every warp stitch and underlying every intersection between a weft element and a warp chain. This is a most desirable product, particularly for use as a rug or carpet, for it is heavy and also highly resilient. The bulk of the pile loops is so great as to cause each loop of the pile to touch and lend support to each adjacent pile loop, thus giving a deep pile softness to the whole which resists matting down even under severe usage. The weight of material and the closeness of the knitting combineto impart great durability and resistance to wear, this also being enhanced by the depth and resilience of the pile, which allows grit and abrasive particles to work down below the walking surface, thus reducing the cutting action which such particles exert on flatter fabrics.

Nevertheless, it is costlv to produce such a rug, because of the amount of material required and the number of stitches to be formed. Since such a substantial product is not required for manv household uses, it is desirable to reduce the weight and com lexity of the fabric, particularly for the low cost market, represented by smallhome owners, etc.

A less expensive but thoroughlv satisfactory ru may easily be produced without sacrificing the basic advantages of the pr duct just describedthat is. resistance to irregular stretching and firmly locked pile loops, preferably bonded to the back of the fabric.

In the preferred embodiment, the pile loops are of course held out during knitting to form an e ongated loop. This is clearly seen in Fig. 2. By simply holding out to a somewhat greater extent, pile loops may be formed of sufiicient extent to brid e more than one warp chain. That is, the pile yarn 4th might very well cross from warp ch in 20 to warp chain 22. and return in its next course to warp ch in 20, the eby consid- Simil rly, the pile chain 40 need not necessarily in erlock with every one of the weft elements, but may, for instance, cross two weft elements before returning to form a base loop passing under a third weft element.

In other words, it is not essential that every pile loop cross from one warp chain to an adjacent warp chain, or cross above only one weft element. What T regard as important, however, is the fact that each pile yarn alternately forms a pile loop, and then a b se loop, and that each base loop in any pile chain so formed passes below a. weft element, and is interlocked with the weft element'and the warp chain by means of a warp stitch. This construction overc mes a very serious drawback in connection with l op pile rugs, particularly those m de of cotton yarn. This disadvantage isthe ease with which a pile -loop may be snared by some extraneous object and pulled out of the fabric. In --t-he fabric of the present invention, the pile loops are securely fixed, each independently of the other, so that when one is pulled, it may stretchor break, butwill'noti'pull out-succeeding stitches :in the chain. The provisions made .for fixing -.the pile .loops include the locking-inof each pile loop by the warp stitches at its .ends, the interknittingof base loops of one pile chain with base loops of a different pile chain, and the arrangement of base loops lying below weft elements, so that a conventional sizing preparation, applied to the back of the rug, will add its adhesive properties to the frictional grip of the warp stitches and absolutely isolate each of the pileloops.

.These features of construction may perhaps be :somewhat more clearly seen in Fig; 2, which is a perspective view taken almost at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1. in this view, warp chains 20 and .23 have been omitted, so that the way in which the base loop 41 of pile yarn 40 underlies weft element 33j-is;ver y'clearly.seen. This view also brings out, in the showing of 'pile yarn 6%, how a base loop such as 41 surrounds both legs of a base loop such as 53 of a different .pile yarn. All four of the pile loops formed by the :pile yarn 60 have been eliminated from this figure, as will be clearly-seen from tracing the base loops l of that :pile yarn.

Fig. 3 has been added for purposes of illustrating to someextent the surface appearance of the finished .material. The warp chains in this figure are indicated merely by dot-and-dash lines, since they will not be seen at all in the finished fabric. An unusual and attractive effect, similar to that afforded by the herringbone stitch in weaving, is produced'by reason of the fact that the pileloops=cross successive weft elements at opposite angles. The View shown in this figure is not a plan view, but rather-presents the appearance which the fabric would haveif viewed from above at an angle of say 45. In the figure as illustrated, the pile loops have not been extensively held out. A decidedly random effect, quite different from the herringbone effect shown, may be produced by siinplyholding out the pile loops to a somewhat greater extent, so that they orient themselves freely, instead of being more or less closely associated with the orientation of the weft elements and pile'chains.

Throughout thepresent'specification I have referred to warp chains, intending in these words to define such chains whether they are composed of a single end or a double end. The expression is also used withthe intention of embracing a recognized variation of the straight knitting stitch wherein two warp ends are used, each knitting an alternate'stitch in the warp chain. It-is, of course, apparent that these variations in form of the warp chains may be adopted without departing fromthe spirit or advantages of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A knitted fabric composed of'a multiplicity of warp chains, a multiplicity of pile chains, and a series of weft elements, running straight from selvage to selvage, wherein each warp chain comprises a-series of 'knitting'stitches, each stitch having a bottom 'bight and a top loop; each pile chain 'comprises'a series of base loop-s alternating with pile loops, each base loop being interlockedbetween the bottom bight of a warp stitch'and the top loop thereof; each weft element is interlocked with each warp stitch of a weftwise course across the fabric; and each base loop of each pile chain underlies a Weft element.

2. The fabric of claim 1, wherein each pile loop is held out from the plane of the fabric and crosses above a weft element.

3. The fabric of claim 1, wherein each pile loop is held out from the plane of the fabric and crosses above a weft element from one warp 'chain to another warp chain.

4. The fabric of claim 1, wherein successivestitches of a warp chain engage in alternation with each of two pile chains.

5. The fabric of claim lywherein each pile loop of a pile chain crosses a. weft element to form a base loop interlocked with asubsequently-formed warp stitch.

6. A,knittedfabric comprising a plurality of chains of interconnected warp stitches, a plurality of weft elements each .transecting'acourse of stitches of the Warp chains, and aypile'yarn interlaced between :warp chains to provide a pile tichainzin which pile'loops :cross from one warp chain to another above a weft element and alternate with base loops each lying below a weft element.

7. The fabric of claim 6, characterized in that successive base loops of the pile chain are interknit with warp stitches of different warp chains.

8. The fabric of claim 7, characterized in that successive base loops of a pile chain alternately engage warp stitches of two adjacent warp chains.

9. The fabric of claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of pile chains is employed, the base loop of one pile chain engaging the warp stitch of one of the warp chains at one course, and the base loop of another pile chain engaging a Warp stitch of the same warp chain at a different course.

10. The fabric of claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of pile chains is employed, the base loop of one pile chain engaging the warp stitch of one of the warp chains at one course, and the succeeding pile loop crossing toward oneside of the warp chain, and the vbase loop of another pile chain engaging a warp stitch of the warp chain first mentioned at a different course and crossing to a warp chain on the opposite side ofthe warp chain first mentioned.

11. in a knitted fabric, a pair of warp chains each composed of a series of joined stitches, a pile chain composed of a series of pile loops alternating with base loops, each of said pile loops bridging from one warp chain of the pair to the other warp chain thereof, and a series of weft ends extending across said pair of warp chains, said weft ends passing above said base loops and below said pile loops, and also passing above the bottom bights of he Warp stitches and below the top loops thereof.

12. A knitted fabric comprising a plurality of substantially parallel chains of warp stitches, a series of substantially parallel spaced-apart straight weft elements each extending entirely across the fabric and each defining a course containing a multiplicity of stitches weftwiseof the warp chains, and each engaging a warp stitch at its junction point with each warp chain, a pile chain consisting of a series of pile loops alternating with base loops, said pile chain being characterized in that each pile loop crosses above at least one weft element.

1.3. The fabric of claim 12 wherein each pile loop also crosses from one warp chain above at least one adjacent warp chain.

14. A knitted fabric comprising a plurality of substantially parallel warp chains and a plurality of pile chains interlaced between warp chains, each of said pile chains consisting of an interrupted series of pile loops interspersed with base loops, the fabric being characterized in that each warp chain alternately engages in series a base loop of-a different pile chain.

15. The fabric of claim 14 in which the pile loop intermediate a pair of .base loops in any pile chain crosses from one warp chain to another warp chain.

16. The fabric of claim 14 in which the pile loop intermediate a pair of base loops in any pile chain crosses from one warp chain to an adjacent warp chain.

17. In a textile fabric, the combination of a plurality of knitted warp chains constituting the warp and a plurality of weft elements constituting the woof, together with a pile'chain interlaced between warp chains and engaging spaced-apart stitches of different warp chains.

18. A textile fabric in which the warp consists of a plurality of chains of knited warp stitches and the woof consists of a series of parallel weft elements, each weft element engaging with and serving to define a weft-wise course of warp stitches, and a pile yarn interlaced between warp chains and forming a plurality of pile loops interknit with warp stitches.

19. A textile fabric comprising a series of parallel warp-chains, each composed of a series of knitting stitches, a series of parallel straight weft elements transecting the warp chains, and a pile chain forming a series of pile loofps all of which are angled with respect to warp and we t.

.20. A rug or carpet'having a sized back and a pile loop wear surface, wherein the warp comprises a multiplic'ity of warp chains,-each consisting of a series of successive knitting stitches, the weft comprises a series of parallel weft elements running straight from sclvage to se'lvage, and the pile comprises a' multiplicity of pile chains, in' each of which pile loops alternatewith base loops,vv said .rug :bein g characterized 'in that each base loop of iaz'pile .chainwunderlies .a "weft :element and is locked References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date 1,715,482 Vorck June 4, 1929 10 2,435,897 Newman Feb. 10, 1948 6 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Great Britain Dec.

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